Philosophical | Lecturia

Julio Cortázar: A Yellow Flower

“A Yellow Flower” is a short story by Julio Cortázar, published in 1956 in the collection Final del juego. In a Paris bistro, a drunken man claims to have made an extraordinary discovery: we are immortal. As he tells it, the revelation came to him on a bus, when he recognized in a thirteen-year-old boy named Luc an exact replica of himself at that age—the same face, the same gestures, the same shyness, the same voice. Determined to investigate, he insinuates himself into the boy’s life: he visits his home and meets his family. As he learns more about Luc’s story, he finds astonishing parallels between their two lives, as though existence were repeating itself in endless cycles.

Isaac Asimov: The Last Answer

“The Last Answer” is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in January 1980 in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact magazine. The story begins with the sudden death of Murray Templeton, an atheist physicist who, to his surprise, retains consciousness beyond life. In this strange and ethereal state, he enters into a dialogue with a mysterious Voice that seems to transcend all human understanding. The story delves into a philosophical exploration of eternity, knowledge, and the purpose of existence, as Templeton attempts to understand the meaning of his new reality.

Ursula K. Le Guin: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas is a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1973. The story takes us to a utopian city where the happiness of all the inhabitants depends on a dark and terrible secret. Through an involving and provocative prose, Le Guin invites us to question morality and the price of collective happiness. In this dream city, some choose to stay, but others, moved by the injustice, decide to leave Omelas forever. This story challenges the reader to reflect on sacrifice and ethics in the search for an ideal society.